Have you heard of Ecole 42?

Radical, revolutionary and disruptive – this programming and coding school makes its own rules when it comes to education.

École 42, now popularly known as 42, is a university unlike any other. Its inception began when Xavier Niel (President of 42) began to strongly feel that French education was not designed to develop industry-demanded skills in students. And thus, by joining hands with Nicolas Sadirac (Director General of 42), the university was born.

The very first class began in November 2013. And since then they have caught the attention of tech giants worldwide. They have even opened their second chapter – 42 Silicon Valley – right in America’s heart of innovation.

Image Source: http://www.42.fr

Traditional classrooms – dismantled.

With the sole mission of giving students an experience of the real-world, they took apart the traditional method of teaching and gave rise to their own. When you walk into École 42, you see trails of iMacs lined up from corner to corner with students buzzing about.

So what is different about them? Absolutely everything! Here’s why:

No Teachers

42 is leading the future with disruptive education. There are no teachers or courses to direct what a student can or cannot do. Students take full control of what they learn and enjoy the freedom of discovering topics on their own.

The effect:

42 nurtures cutting-edge skills in its students through project-based learning. Each project has its own set of objectives and is aimed at sharpening different areas of expertise.

No Classrooms and No Courses

Students follow their own pace of learning, without the pressure of keeping up with their peers.

The effect:

Students can put in as much time as they need to master the projects they are challenged with. With gamification included in the program’s design, students become passionate about learning and stay motivated. Each project rewards them in a certain way, just like you would collect points in a game. Every consecutive project is more challenging and equally more rewarding.

No Exams

Exams are not administered in the traditional manner. Students are evaluated by their fellow classmates, and impressing their peers can be an even bigger challenge.

The effect:

Students constantly experience a switch in roles – sometimes they are learners and sometimes they are guides. This is achieved through peer-to-peer learning. The curriculum design leads to collaboration and effective engagement, paving way for a remarkable exchange of ideas.

No fees

42 acts as a nonprofit organization. So, neither do students have to worry about tuition nor do they have to arrange money for books or extra devices.

The effect:

The institute’s vision of making quality education open and accessible to all is effectively met. They do not run background checks. They do not ask for report cards or SAT scores. And they do not ask for a student’s financial status. 42 welcomes students who are determined to learn and capable of pushing themselves towards progress.

The Result

Image Source: https://www.42.us.org

42 is essentially grooming an army of programmers who are capable of facing the technological industry head on! They foster in-depth learning, and students pick up long-lasting skills that allow them to excel in their careers.

Students receive internships and employment from top Silicon Valley Companies and tech giants like Apple, Facebook, Amazon, Microsoft, LinkedIn, Uber, IBM and more.

42 is the solution to erasing the skill gap in the software and technological industry. But the big picture view tells us more.

The inspiration for their very name was The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy – where the number 42 is the answer to questions about life and the universe. Whereas for education, École 42 is the answer to the needs of the future.

Today, École 42 is bringing down the barriers of traditional teaching. Tomorrow, École 42 will be inspiring a whole new fashion of learning.

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